The Agitator - Barack Obama's unlikely political education

The New Republic ^ | March 19, 2007 | Ryan Lizza

[PapaBear3625]

But Wright was a former Muslim and black nationalist who had studied at Howard and Chicago,

Both Wright and Khalid Al-Mansour are fellow Howard Alumni

[SE Mom]

You nailed it- it's extremely difficult to get a "read" on where his heart resides. I have watched and listened to him speak endlessly and have yet to get a read on him. Even when he raises his voice or laughs I never connect with whoever is there. I don't see what drives him, what he wants, where he lives.

I've known my share of intellects- on the right and the left- and am not inclined to just dismiss his lack of humanity as the elitest intellectual logo we've given him.

After all the research I've done- I still don't know- but I do believe his intent is to CHANGE our nation into a socialist, marxist state.

For example- from the piece:

Obama's self-conception as an organizer isn't just a campaign gimmick. Organizing remained central to Obama long after his stint on the South Side. In the 13 years between Obama's return to Chicago from law school and his Senate campaign, he was deeply involved with the city's constellation of community- organizing groups. He wrote about the subject. He attended organizing seminars. He served on the boards of foundations that support community organizing. He taught Alinsky's concepts and methods in workshops. When he first ran for office in 1996, he pledged to bring the spirit of community organizing to his job in the state Senate. And, after he was elected to the U.S. Senate, his wife, Michelle, told a reporter, "Barack is not a politician first and foremost. He's a community activist exploring the viability of politics to make change." Recalling her remark in 2005, Obama wrote, "I take that observation as a compliment."

[Defiant]

Good analysis. We are gleeful now, but we need to be aware of how he thinks and acts to be prepared for how he is going to take McCain/Palin on. He may have been knocked off balance initially, but he seems to be very cold and very calculating in his strategies, and very very self-centered. He will not just come after the Republicans with the dirtiest tactics you can imagine (and some you can't) but he will do it without seeming to be responsible for it, and will smile during it.

He can be beaten but it will be a serious fight.

[aquila48]

Yes, he throws mud (or he lets his people do it) but he doesn’t get his hands dirty.

He’s also superb at preempting criticism by bringing any dirty laundry out himself. I really believe that’s what his two books were for.

And he definitely stays cool and collected. It’s going to be a titanic battle - Palin is proving to be a cool, collected and tough customer herself. And considering McCains history, he ain’t going to be nobody’s pushover.

[aquila48]

“After all the research I’ve done- I still don’t know- but I do believe his intent is to CHANGE our nation into a socialist, marxist state.”

A couple of months ago I would have fully agreed with you, now I’m less sure.

I think more than ideology, his motivation is power, and he is proving to be quite a chameleon, issues-wise, to get it.

In that sense he reminds me of Clinton. So depending on the political leanings of congress (if he were to get elected), that’s where he’ll go. (although I do believe his natural leanings is to the left)

Remember the Clintons were Alinsky disciples as well.

[Sense]

I’m curious about other elements of his experience, too. I keep seeing references to his stint teaching Constitutional Law at University of Chicago Law School... but haven’t ever seen anything written about WHAT he taught about the Constitution or the Law in that role... and, in the electoral context, it is far more important what he thought and said about his subject than simply that he taught.

Was he a good and honest teacher... or did he apply a typical left wing law school professors bias against the Constitution’s plain meaning, and in favor of whatever it is that left wing lawyers would rather have it say right now ?

Who were his students, and what did they think of him and his classroom expression of opinions?

[snowsislander]

I’m curious about other elements of his experience, too. I keep seeing references to his stint teaching Constitutional Law at University of Chicago Law School... but haven’t ever seen anything written about WHAT he taught about the Constitution or the Law in that role... and, in the electoral context, it is far more important what he thought and said about his subject than simply that he taught.

Was he a good and honest teacher... or did he apply a typical left wing law school professors bias against the Constitution’s plain meaning, and in favor of whatever it is that left wing lawyers would rather have it say right now ?

Some of his final exams and a few of his answers to his exams were posted at the New York Times.

My opinion, reading through some of them and skimming the rest, is that he is fixated on (1) race, (2) homosexuality, and (3) abortion/fetal issues. Without reviewing them, I seem to remember that all of the questions were on one of those three issues.

To my taste, he isn't teaching Constitutional law; I think he is merely lecturing on these three social issues that he is fixed on, and testing on the same.

However, I am not a lawyer, and have not attended law school, so perhaps a narrow focus solely on those three issues are now the standard Constitutional law curriculum these days. However, I somehow doubt it.

[MSSC6644]

Great Post. I now understand what Sarah Palin was referring to when she said, “Politics is not about playing a game. . .” I get the distinct impression that Obama is just playing to win — he’s never had to perform beyond the contest. Now that is scary.

[Defiant]

I’ve been wondering about that, too. I had a lefty black con law professor, but I liked the guy. He was fair, and both sides of issues. I have been looking for an article interviewing someone who took one of Obama’s classes, and I’ve never seen it. For that matter, I’ve never seen an article about someone who says that he made a difference in their life through his “community organizing”.

[tet68]

Bump.

[tet68]

Here is that thread I was talking about.
A must read.

[bpjam]

Obama breezes through literally every place in his life and he seems to create no lasting effects on anybody or any place. Everybody seems to like him but nobody really ever gets to know him personally.

There are two black women in So Chi who think he is wonderful because he left them in charge of his ‘organization’ in the ‘hood. But they can name two things in about three years that they accomplished which were both relatively minor political successes in a city the size of Chicago.

And there appear to be virtually no positive accomplishments left behind that he can claim as his own. Although he is claiming that he passed some important nuclear proliferation legislation in the US Senate.

The guy is either a ghost, a chameleon or Zelig. Or the ultimate Manchurian Candidate.

[unspun]

bump

"CHANGE"

[JerseyHighlander]

An update on the events i the original article on this thread:

Shock Photos: Candidate Obama Appeared And Marched With New Black Panther Party in 2007
Big Government ^ | October 3rd | Andrew Breitbart

Posted on Monday, October 03, 2011 9:49:18 AM by Halfmanhalfamazing

New photographs obtained exclusively by BigGovernment.com reveal that Barack Obama appeared and marched with members of the New Black Panther Party as he campaigned for president in Selma, Alabama in March 2007.

The photographs, captured from a Flickr photo-sharing account before it was scrubbed, are the latest evidence of the mainstream media’s failure to examine Obama’s extremist ties and radical roots.

(Excerpt) Read more at biggovernment.com ...

[GeronL]

has this been scrubbed from the TNR site?